Politician Under Investigation for Corruption Allegedly Accepted Nearly $2,000 in Illegal Whisky Gifts
Former Transport Minister S. Iswaran is being investigated for 35 counts of graft and corruption; the politician allegedly illegally received gifts of expensive scotch whisky. (Photo: David Cheskin/PA via AP)
The Straits Times reported on Monday that the former Transport Minister S. Iswaran, a Singaporean politician, is facing 35 charges, including counts of graft, corruption and obstruction of justice, as the result of an ongoing investigation.
Iswaran is the first cabinet minister to be charged with corruption in the country of Singapore since 1986, according to CNBC.
Some of the items the transport minister allegedly illegally received included 10 bottles of scotch whisky, mostly produced by Gordon & MacPhail, which amounted to a value of S$2,366.92 (US$1,758,35.)
An itemized list shared Iswaran was accused of accepting gifts of four Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila whiskies in November 2021 worth a combined S$1,084.46 (US$805.75); two Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila whiskies in January 2022 priced at a total of S$542.23 (US$402.88); an additional set of Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila whiskies in May 2022 priced at a total of $542.23 (US$402.88); and two bottles of Milk & Honey Elements Sherry Cask Whisky priced at S$198 (US$147.11).
Milk & Honey is Israel’s first whisky distillery.
These whiskies are purported to have been gifted to the former transport minister.
Iswaran resigned in January after Singapore’s anti-graft agency completed multiple months of investigations and charged the official. Though he was initially charged with 27 separate charges, that count has risen to 35 charges, per the Straits Times.
After he resigned, he wrote a statement denying the accusations, according to CNBC. He additionally returned his salary when the probe began in July.
“I am doing this even though I reject charges and am innocent,” Iswaran wrote, according to CNBC. “So that there is no doubt, I will not be seeking the return of these monies if, as I strongly believe, I am acquitted.”
Iswaran is accused of accepting other boozy gifts beyond whisky, including twelve bottles of expensive wine from estates like Pichon Lalande, Pauillac De Latour and Albert Bichot Domaine du Clos Frantin Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru 2015.
CNBC reports the official additionally acquired 116 tickets to the Singapore Grand Prix worth S$347,152.10 (US$258,388.78.)
He was allegedly gifted the tickets from a billionaire hotel owner named Ong Beng Seng who was arrested by authorities as part of the investigation into the official.
A Year of Scandal for Singapore’s Leading Political Party
Al Jazeera reported in early February that the political scandal involving Iswaran was just one of many, challenging its “squeaky clean” political image. Many of the individuals involved in the scandals were a part of the People’s Action Party, according to the outlet.
In July, a speaker of Singapore’s parliament was caught having an affair with another politician, and both resigned.
Before that, two government officials went under the microscope for renting bungalows that were owned by the state. Though the charges seemed innocent enough, contracts to rent such properties are often given through a bid system.
The officials were both investigated and everything appeared above board.
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